Chapter 391: Unshaken

Classic Blackwood

I sat in my office, my fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wooden desk. The glow from the fireplace cast flickering shadows across the room, but my mind was elsewhere.

I already knew.

Even before Ethan sent the confirmation, before Chris gave the final order, before Celeste stepped into that carriage… I knew.

She was gone. Erased.

It should have felt like a victory. But there was no satisfaction in it. No relief.

Because this was inevitable.

Celeste made her choice the moment she moved against me. Against my family. There was no world where she could exist after what she did. And yet, her final words wouldn't leave my mind.

"Tell Classic… no, never mind. He already knows."

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. Knows what?

Was it regret? A warning? Or was it just another of her manipulations—one last attempt to make me question everything?

The door creaked open.

I didn't need to look up to know who it was.

Amal stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. Her presence was warm, grounding, a stark contrast to the cold decisions I had to make today.

She didn't speak at first. Just walked toward me, her gaze studying my face.

"They handled it?" she finally asked.

I nodded. "It's done."

She didn't flinch. She didn't gasp. She just accepted it.

Because she understood. This was the life she married into.

Slowly, she stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

I let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head. "I don't know."

A part of me wanted to feel something—anger, sorrow, even triumph. But all I felt was the weight of expectation.

A ruler does not grieve his enemies. A ruler does not hesitate.

Amal knelt beside my chair, her hand tightening around mine. "You did what needed to be done."

"I know," I said. And I meant it.

But Celeste's voice still echoed in my mind.

"He already knows."

What was she trying to tell me? What did she think I knew?

Or worse… what if she was right?